4th September, 2022
By Zagazola Makama
The Boko Haram has suffered another major loss after 200 Fighters including five top Commanders were killed in a massive onslaught by the Troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), in the fringes of Sambisa Forest.
The Intelligence-Led Aerial And Ground Coordinated Operation Launched On September 1, 2022, Involving The Air Task Force, Troops Of 199 Special Forces Battalion And 222 Battalion, Operarion Hadin Kai, Targeted The Terrorists Hideouts In “Gaizuwa also known as Gabchari, Sheruri, Mantari and Mallum Masari, villages located in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
An Intelligence Officer, told Zagazola Makama, a counter insurgency expert and security analyst In The Lake Chad that an Early Damage Assessment confirmed the successful operation led to The Elimination Of High-Ranking Commanders including Abou Hauwa, (Munzir) Amir Shettima, Akura Buri(Nakif), Abou Zainab, Abou Idris and their Fighters.
The sources said that the ground troops had during the raid, stormed a hide out of the terrorists in Gafchari, where they engaged the troops in a gun battle leading to killing of over 30 fighters while others escaped with bullet wounds.
The sources explained that the ATF, in another Coordination With The ground troops, detailed two Super Tucano to conduct air interdiction missions against the insurgents which resulted in the elimination of additional 70 fighters with many who tried to escape drowned in the river.
According to him, “Similar strikes were also undertaken at Sheruri when the combat aircraft attacked another location of fighters deployed to stage an ambush against own ground troops.
He said the Super Tucano scored devastating hits, killing two terrorist Commanders; Akura Buri (Nakif) and Abou Hauwa with morethan 63 of their fighters and foot soldiers.
“In another separate encounter with the terrorists during the robust fighting patrol, the troops succeeded in eliminating scores of insurgents in the axis of Mantari after a gun battle which lasted for about two and half hours.
“In Gazuwa, the troops destroyed two vehicles and the home of Abou Iklilima which used to be a hideouts to insurgent Leaders. Other makeshift tent and properties belonging to terrorists were also destroyed,”he said,”he said.
According to him, few of the surviving terrorists who escaped the military raids returned on September 3 to recover their dead fighters bodies at Sheruri and Gabchari.
He added that they were able to recover 36 additional bodies of fighters who drowned in the river in Gabchari.
“Additional nine bodies who died as a result of bullet wounds were recovered around the bushes in Gaizuwa. Among them were two Boko Haram Commanders including; Abou Zainab, Abou Idris.
“While they were making preparations to conduct mass burials for their Mujahedeens, the military authorities acting on the intelligence, deployed the Super Tucano to the location, killing unspecified numbers of them.
The sources said the targets were subsequently acquired and engulfed in flames all after. The aftermath of the airstrike revealed that pandemonium broke out as the remnant of surviving terrorists took cover under nearby trees and later Fled away.
“The week-long sustained operations that were carried out simultaneously in different locations within the North East Theatre of Sambisa Forest by the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, has completely degraded the capabilities of the insurgents,”he said